No registration or passwords; no pop-up ads -- just aloha, fun, & answers.
(as an eBay Partner & Amazon Affiliate earns from qualifying purchases).
Home /
T.O.C.
Fun
FAQs
Good
Books
Ref.
Libr.
Advertise
 
Help
Wanted
Current
Q&A's
Site 🔍
Search
pub  Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989



-----

Coloring the anodized surface




Q. I would like to know how to get different colors after anodizing the aluminium components. I heard that the dyes are available but how best and under what conditions (like pH and temperature of dye solution) we can get strong / well adherent colors. What would be the typical duration over which the color won't fade.

Rama Krishna Lingamaneni
Electrochemical Processing - Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
2004


A. Please tell us what you're trying to make, and what alloy you're making it out of. All of the colors will be completely adherent because they are absorbed into the anodized layer. But some dyes are not suitable for exterior exposure because they will fade quickly, and some alloys will not accept anodizing and dye as well as others.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004



Q. Many thanks to Ted Mooney for the kind reply.

Most times, the alloy is 6061 T6. The purpose of coloring is to follow the color coding. May I know how to color the surface after anodizing.

Rama Krishna Lingamaneni [returning]
Electrochemical Processing of Materials - Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
2004


A. That is a good alloy for anodizing. 

There is a U.S. idiom, "this is like pulling teeth", which seems to apply here. You still haven't forthrightly answered me with what you are trying to do, which is causing this dialog to be of limited value and to drag on slowly and painfully :-) But in concept, dyeing anodized parts is simple: Immediately after anodizing them and before sealing them you immerse them in a warm water solution into which the dye has been dissolved. The dye is soaked up into the pores of the anodizing layer, and when you subsequently seal the parts, the dye stays locked in.

You can use simple fabric dyes for low quality results, or you can use proprietary dyes which have been tweaked to work optimally on anodized parts. In this case the dye supplier will be knowledgable about anodizing, and will have had much experience in running parts through the dye, and will include in his technical data sheet the temperature, pH, and other parameters that he has found to work optimally for that one particular dye. Good luck!

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004




(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories:

 
Jobshops
Capital
Equipment
Chemicals &
Consumables
Consult'g, Train'g
& Software


About/Contact  -  Privacy Policy  -  ©1995-2024 finishing.com, Pine Beach, New Jersey, USA  -  about "affil links"